The leak of exam papers has become a trigger for student protests, but the real issue is rising unemployment:
- India has the largest youth population in the world, but secure job prospects hinge on ultra-competitive exams:
- The underlying issue is the limited supply of "secure, well-paid jobs":
India's youth unemployment crisis has become one of the biggest vulnerabilities for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, exposing the gap between the country's economic ambitions and the reality facing millions of young graduates:
The frustration erupted into the open this month after a leaked paper forced a retest of India's ultra-competitive medical entrance exam, prompting nationwide student protests led by a viral, social media-focused youth movement called the Cockroach Janta Party:
While the exam scandal was the immediate trigger, economists say the demonstrations reflected something much deeper: a generation struggling to find secure, well-paying jobs despite spending years competing for an education:
In India, graduate unemployment among 15-to 25-year-olds is close to 40%, with graduates accounting for two-thirds of the country's unemployed:
According to data, the number of students applying for the NEET exam rose 50% from 2019 to 2026, reaching over 2.2 million:
And the scramble extends well beyond medicine; millions of students also compete for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), and the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) civil services examination:
Modi's government, which promised economic transformation and better employment opportunities, is now facing growing discontent among young people:
Recently, Modi appointed a new Education Minister and announced the creation of a task force to overhaul the education system:
